Colour: Calamity or conquest?

Big spaces
Big spaces need darker, richer toned paint and furniture to create intimacy. Another simple way to make a large room cozy is to use rough or thick-textured carpets and upholstery. Jeffrey Fisher, Arresting Design

Remember that opposites attract
Generally colours that lie opposite each other on the colour wheel enliven a room by making a bold statement. Yellow and blue remains a popular combination. Tammy Schnurr, Arresting Design

Stay neutral
If you buy large items, such as sofas, in neutral colours then you can easily update the room with new accessories and a fresh paint colour, all without breaking the bank." Jeffrey Fisher, Arresting Design

Whiten up
Many people love pure white, but for added sophistication tint it with a hint of yellow or lavender. This will give plain white a tantalizing hidden, and subtle depth. Jeffrey Fisher, Arresting Design

Be gorgeous
Colour has an amazing ability to not only make a room look better, but also to make us look better. For instance, bright yellow walls in a bathroom with only fluorescent lighting can make skin look drab and bring out dark under-eye circles in fair-skinned people. Rose, peach or lavender hues reduce purple redness in skin tone. Jane Lockhart, Colour Confidential

Look up, look way up …
The colour of ceilings is an endless debate: should they always be white, or at least lighter than the walls? White on the ceiling doesn't make a room feel higher unless all the walls are light in tone, so there is little contrast with the ceiling. If walls are dark, however, tinting the ceiling reduces its visibility, and makes it appear higher. Jane Lockhart, Colour Confidential

In the end
"Don't underestimate your gut reaction to a hue -- be sensitive to how it makes you feel." Tammy Schnurr, Arresting Design

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